Predictions: 2014 Open Championship

July 15, 2014

It’s time for the playing of one of greatest and oldest championships of all time – the Open Championship. Known in the states as the British Open, the Open Championship was first played on October 17, 1860 at Prestwick in Scotland. The inaugural tournament was restricted to professionals and attracted a field of eight golfers who played three rounds of Prestwick’s twelve-hole course in a single day.

This year’s contest will take place at the site of Tiger’s last Open victory in 2006 – Royal Liverpool, more commonly known as Hoylake. Often called one of the greatest displays of iron play in the history of the game, Tiger’s two-shot victory (-18) over Chris Demarco (-16) on the baked-out links involved him hitting driver once and not hitting a single one of Hoylake’s notoriously penal bunkers all week! The PowerFade is excited for Tiger’s return to Hoylake, but our picks may suggest a different outcome that TW taking a swig from the Claret Jug. On to the picks!

LG:
WIN: Miguel Angel Jimenez (MC)
PLACE: Rory McIlroy (Win -17)
SHOW: Tiger Woods (solo 69th, +6)
Winning Score: -8 (-17!)
“Unknown” in the Top 10: Kevin Streelman. Seriously. (T54, +2. Marc Leishman or Shane Lowry were the choices)
Last Year’s Winner (Phil) Will … (Win, Top 10, Make the Cut, or Miss the Cut): Miss Cut (T23, -5)
The Master’s Winner (Bubba) Will …: Miss (Correct)
The US Open Winner (Kaymer) Will …: Make cut (correct, solo 70th at +8)
The current PGA Champion (Duf) will …: Miss (T51, +1)
How many prior winners will be in the Top 10: 1 (0)
Will someone win it, or will everyone else lose it? MAJ takes it in a playoff with Rors. (Rory won it. played great)
What will be the biggest story of the tournament? Rory breaks the Major scoring record of 63, but posts an 80 to bring the field back. Surges on the weekend to come up short. Takes away a lot of positives from the experience. (close, but no)
Who is most likely to “Sergio Garcia at Carnoustie” it? No one. (correct. no one yakked)
Will you watch on Sunday? Yes. (?)
Tiger Woods will: Top 10 (guessing 3rd, but two strokes back) (incorrect. wildly incorrect)
Sergio Garcia will: Top 10 (correct – T2 at -15)
Dustin Johnson will: Make (correct, T12 at -9)
Jason Day will: Make (correct, T58 at +3)
Jordan Speith will: Miss (incorrect, T36 at -2)
Rory McIlroy will: Second. (almost)

JK:
WIN: Justin Rose (T23 at -5)
PLACE: Jonas Blixt (MC)
SHOW: Matt Kuchar (T54 at +2)
Winning Score: -1 (-17)
“Unknown” in the Top 10: Yasaku Miyazato (MC)
Last Year’s Winner (Phil) Will … (Win, Top 10, Make the Cut, or Miss the Cut): Make cut, probably just outside the top 10 (correct, T23)
The Master’s Winner (Bubba) Will …: MC (Correct)
The US Open Winner (Kaymer) Will …: Make cut (Correct)
The current PGA Champion (Duf) will …: MC…dude is having some real short game issues right now (Incorrect)
How many prior winners will be in the Top 10: 0 (correct)
Will someone win it, or will everyone else lose it? J Rose plays consistently all week while everyone else folds under the pressure (incorrect)
What will be the biggest story of the tournament? uh, basically the same as LG–Rory goes nuts and then yaks all over the place (close)
Who is most likely to “Sergio Garcia at Carnoustie” it? Sergio Garcia (no, he played tremendously)
Will you watch on Sunday? unlikely. i’ll be driving home from waygus (watched a little)
Tiger Woods will: Make the cut, but barely (correct, with incredible precision)
Sergio Garcia will: Make the cut (T2…much better than making the cut)
Dustin Johnson will: Make the cut (correct, just outside top 10)
Jason Day will: Top 10 (nope. Thumb injuries).
Jordan Speith will: Top 10 (incorrect, T36)
Rory McIlroy will: outside Top 10, but make the cut (sure…)